The New Mutants
by Kitten Moo
Summary: The New Recruits try their hand at surviving on their own, takes place after the Mutatis Mutandis-Home Sweet Home story.


Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel, who like to smear peanut butter on their hairy little bodies.  
  
Author Notes: This takes place obviously after Home Sweet Home, and it deals solely with the New Recruits. Enjoy.  
  
New Mutants, Part 1  
  
By starched_undergarments  
  
***  
  
Everything had changed.  
  
It was as simple as that, everything that they had once known was 'normal' or as their 'routine', things they thought were 'true' or 'right', had become skewed, distorted. But most of all their lives had changed. For better or for worse, no one knew but as Ray waited for the bus he felt a sense of pride and almost intoxicating freedom swell inside him.  
  
It had been two weeks since their confrontation with the Professor, two weeks since they moved out of their battered little house and into a two- bedroom apartment in New York. Two weeks of being on their own for the first time ever, it was almost over-whelming but they, all of them, were determined to make it.  
  
The girls all shared the master bedroom, since it was the largest and had its own small bathroom. The boys shared the second bedroom, but after three days of being roomies with Roberto Ray had moved himself into the living room and onto the couch. Rahne sometimes joined him, curled up on the floor next to him in full canine form.  
  
Soon the kids decided that their collective good looks would not be enough to pay for the apartment let alone food, so it was decided that most of them would have to get jobs. Ray found himself a considerably less humiliating job than his last, working at a video store. Sam was employed at a factory, moving boxes and crates, and Rahne worked part time at a pet store that was owned by a friendly Chinese couple.  
  
The rest of the kids busied themselves with the task of trying to accommodate the apartment as best as they could with their low funds, finding clothes, appliances, and what not at local thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets.  
  
So far they had the bare necessities, the couch or Ray's bed had originated from the front lobby of their apartment building, it was a disgusting color of brown and orange mixed together. Very 1970's. It wasn't what you would call 'comfortable' living but they were all doing their best, pulling together in order to create a home for themselves.  
  
"Home." Ray thought to himself as he stepped onto the slightly musty bus, a ghost of a smile forming.  
  
***  
  
"Ach Sam, ye got to trust me!" Rahne said with a frustrated sigh.  
  
"Ah do, but.well.just don't make me bald!" he pleaded, shutting his eyes tightly.  
  
The two were in the main bathroom, Sam seated on top of the toilet facing the mirror, Rahne stood behind him holding a pair of scissors. In the weeks that had passed since the destruction of Xavier's all of the New Recruits appearances had changed. They looked older, and perhaps a little less 'green'. Sam's hair had become a nuisance, which is why he had asked Rahne for a little help; at first he had thought of asking Tabby, but one look at her hairstyle make him think otherwise.  
  
"If ye don't stop squirming yer not going to have an ear," she told him and he blushed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
A few snips later and Rahne told him to open his eyes; he did, reluctantly. The end result wasn't dramatic or breath taking, he still looked like himself just with even hair that stopped just short of his cheekbones, she had as well pushed apart his bangs, framing his face.  
  
"Ah, now that's better!" She said, pleased with her work. "Ye look older, more mature."  
  
He blushed and shook his head, she giggled and brushed off the fallen bits of hair.  
  
"Well except when ye do that."  
  
They both laughed and Sam's blush deepened. They heard the front door unlock and heard Ray call, Rahne poked her head out and hollered back. He appeared in the doorway, smiling.  
  
"I take it work went well today?" Rahne asked and he nodded, bringing out his paycheck.  
  
"Yeah, I found out that I'm probably going to get more shifts this month," he said, ripping open the envelope.  
  
"That's great Ray," Rahne said and gave him a brief hug, Ray smiled and patted her head. "To celebrate I'll make dinner, ye boy-o's go and have a seat on the couch."  
  
The two boys sat and chatted for a bit while Rahne began to prepare dinner for everyone. A few moments later the door opened again and Tabby, Roberto and Amara came in, carrying a beat up coffee table.  
  
"Hey!" Tabby called cheerfully, "Guess what we found just sitting on some old guys lawn!"  
  
Ray grinned and got up, peering at the table. "Cool, now I've got something to put my feet up on."  
  
Tabby playfully shoved him, "Yeah that's exactly what we were thinking when we got it, dork."  
  
The three moved it into place and studied it, it didn't match but none of their furniture did so it didn't really matter, and besides, it wasn't like they were trying to create a classy atmosphere or anything.  
  
Ray smiled to himself, "We're really doing it." He thought and went to go help Rahne dish up dinner, "Everything feels like it's finally going our way."  
  
***  
  
Somewhere in a dark alley, a lone figure muttered to himself and waited for a heavily sealed door to open for him. He stepped inside, looking over his shoulder once and then making his way through the shadowy halls and down to an old auditorium.  
  
Inside there were others just like him, men and women, gathered together for one purpose, one goal.  
  
A light went on and their leader stepped up, his head high and his voice strong.  
  
"Welcome fellow homo-sapiens, welcome to the Friends of Humanity.."  
  
***  
  
End Part 1 


End file.
